GPs

I have been doing the most ridiculous thing.  It turns out the writing.com site I joined is celebrating its 13 years in operation this past September 1st.  They are actually celebrating the entire week.  I know you're asking, "How does a site celebrate?"  I thought the same thing.  I was having trouble understanding all the different areas, and etiquette of this site to begin with, without adding celebratory activities.

But before the celebration, I figured out how to start up my portfolio, and I have posted three items to this site.  I was able to figure out how to post to the site to let people know I was interested in receiving reviews.  The feedback I received from individuals who took the time to read, and send me comments on my writing, has been priceless.  The perspectives I have been able to gather, and ideas given me to improve, have been motivating.  The site also offers contests of all kinds, and newsletters of varied topics.  It was offering a challenge to write a novel in 30 days that I read about very carefully.  I was actually considering the idea of joining, maybe,since there would be some prompting and instruction to go along with the process.  But I was only thinking about it.  I thought about it until I realized they wanted 10,000 GPs to join.  I didn't have nearly that number.  Now, I hear you asking, "What are GPs?"
They are Gift Points that everyone on the site accumulates. You can earn gift points just by being on the site.  It's a mere 10 gift points a day, but there are other incentives to earn GPS.  The site will reward you with GPS if you give a review to someone.  It gives you more if it is someone you never gave a review to before.  Sometimes, people will attach GPS if they read, and enjoyed your work.  I've received GPS from people I have reviewed, and they wanted to thank me.  I gave gift points to anyone who rated my pieces as a thank you.  (And then I went out and reviewed a few other people to up my bank of GPS that was dwindling.)  It encourages people to help out other people.

This week, they will give you 1300 GPS just for logging in each day!  That alone has pumped up my bank.  I can afford to join any class they offer about now.  And then there is this ridiculous thing I've been doing.  This site gives you a space of your own.  You have an inbox, a place for your portfolio of writing, a notebook, and more.  It has forums you can go to and IMs that scroll.  I found there are game bots on the scroll this week.  A conversation might be going on (not with me, I'm only there for the bots) and a Play Now will appear.  If you play, and answer all the questions correctly, and the fastest, you get GPS for coming in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd.  I've racked up more than a few GPS doing this.  Somehow, keeping that chat window open, and ignoring it until out of the corner of my eye it catches the Play Now, I become a little too invigorated.  The Play Now means hurry up!  Only a few changes to get those points!  It's ridiculous, I know.  I've got more points now that I will know what to do with for a while.  It's really silly, but I keep playing.  I've turned it off for now.

Maybe, it's time to put the celebration on hold, and get back to some real writing and reviewing.

TT